This invention relates to transmissions for vehicles in general and, more particularly, to hydrostatic transmissions for vehicles such as garden tractors and lawn tractors. A hydrostatic transmission (HST) is a well-known type of continuously variable transmission wherein a system of one or more hydraulic pumps transmits energy from an input shaft to one or more hydraulic motors connected to one or more output shafts. The input shaft is typically driven by a prime mover, such as an internal combustion engine or an electric motor. The one or more output shafts are typically connected, either directly or indirectly, to a pair of the vehicle's wheels to propel the vehicle. The hydraulic pumps and motors are contained within a transmission housing filled with hydraulic fluid, which flows in a fluid circuit from pump to motor and back again through hydraulic porting formed in a center section. It is this flow of hydraulic fluid that transmits energy from the pump(s) to the motor(s). Direction of vehicle travel depends on the direction of flow within the hydraulic circuit.